A fifth for SmartCo Panera opens at University Hills

SmartCo Foods completes its mission of opening five new Colorado locations this summer with the Littleton store on Wednesday.

The 42,000-square-foot store at 3615 West Bowles Ave. will be run by store manager David Crookston, who has 17 years of grocery industry experience with companies such as Sunflower Farmers Market, Wild Oats and Reay’s Ranch Markets.

“SmartCo Foods is thrilled to open our fifth store in Littleton, offering shoppers a new, smarter, more economical and convenient way to shop for their home or business,” said Crookston in a statement. “We’re overwhelmed by the excitement and support from the Littleton community in welcoming our unique grocery store concept to the neighborhood and look forward to being a part of this community for many years to come.”

SmartCo bills itself as a hybrid of a local supermarket, warehouse club store and a farmer’s market.

The Aug. 4 grand opening starts at 6 a.m., and SmartCo is giving gift cards randomly valued from $20 to $100 to the first 250 customers. There will be kids activities, live entertainment and more.

During the grand opening week, the company will make $2,500 donations to the Littleton Public Schools and the Women’s Bean Project.

“As SmartCo Foods’ new Littleton store manager, I’m committed to supporting the local community, delivering quality food and products at excellent values, and providing top-notch customer service,” Crookston said.

SmartCo opened in Greenwood Village in June and the Centennial store opened July 28.

The other two Colorado stores are 5141 Chambers Road in Denver and 1750 North Main St. in Longmont. SmartCo Foods reported it plans to significantly expand its presence in Colorado over the next few years, opening an additional 20 to 25 stores.

The Littleton SmartCo Foods will be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
U. Hills gets a Panera

Panera Bread opens its 28th Colorado restaurant Aug. 11 in the University Hills shopping center.

The 2466 S. Colorado Blvd. location is the second Colorado restaurant to feature a drive-through window.

Panera Bread's new University Hills location. [Credit: Panera Bread]

“We look forward to serving customers in the University Hills area with our new bakery-cafe and drive-thru and becoming a greater part of the community,” said Craig Flom, regional operating partner of Colorado Panera Bread, in a statement.

During the grand opening celebration, some customers will receive mystery gift cards and a free cinnamon crunch bagel.

Throughout the year, the new Panera Bread will support local community organizations such as Food Bank of the Rockies, officials said.

“We feel strongly about being a responsible corporate citizen and plan to support University Hills-area events, fundraisers and other charitable efforts on an ongoing basis,” Flom said.

Known for its fresh-baked specialty breads, Panera Bread’s menu offerings also include a wide variety of sandwiches, salads and soups.

The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Read more: A fifth for SmartCo; Panera opens at University Hills - Denver Business Journal